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From: avr@hou2d.UUCP (Adam V. Reed)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: embedded newlines in shell variable?
Message-ID: <1508@hou2d.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Aug-87 17:16:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou2d.1508
Posted: Wed Aug 12 17:16:01 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Aug-87 03:08:18 EDT
References: <228@cjsa.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 11
Keywords: sed sh shell
Summary: use "${ACTION}"

In article <228@cjsa.UUCP>, jeff@cjsa.UUCP (C. Jeffery Small) writes:
> On the other hand, attempting to embed actual newlines (^J) within the
> assignment (ie. ACTION="-e '\$a\^JNEW LINE OF MATERIAL'") does not work
> since the shell substitutes the ^J with a single space.

Yes it does work - check it with $ echo "${ACTION}".
But you need to protect shell parameters with " " to
have the shell pass them intact to a command.
Incidentally, you don't need the \ before a literal
newline inside single quotes.
				Adam Reed (hou2d!avr)